USB stick Recovery failure

[vincent.jooris 14]

Hello,

I know that on the HC2, the USB recovery Stick is used for :

• storing the backups we generate from the HC2
• as hardware verification to validate the box (to prevent frauduleuse reproduction of the box)
• storing the image to be used in recovery mode.
• ...

Without this USB stck, the HC2 can not work (I do understand that).

 

Now my concern is that if this USB stick is broken, I've to send the whole box back to Poland, via DHL, at a cost of +/- 100€ to replace a defective USB stock of 5 € ...

 

Shouldn't it be possible that if we have a broken USB stick,

Fibaro Poland :

• send a new USB stick via mail
• connect to our box in SSH to modify the box configuration, so it can works with this new USB stick instead of the old one ?

The benefit for Fibaro would be :

• reduce cost : no need to manage incoming box, send it back,  ...
• a pleased customer

The benefit for us would be :

• reduce cost : if the box in under warranty, no cost; if guaranty expired not the returning costs of 100€
• fast issue resolution : just the time to send a new USB stick
• we are pleased with the Fibaro support and we will buy more Fibaro products

[vincent.jooris 14]

but now it is designed so, we have to live with it, and try to improve the process

[D-Vine 65]

+ 1  big time!.

 

Fibaro can't you respond on this great idea ? 

[fi-bar-oh 47]

but now it is designed so, we have to live with it, and try to improve the process

 

Not at all the case... never assume it cannot be done! Because it can! Always!

[rolandrat 1]

Must admit the whole backup/broken box does worry me - before I bought the HC2 I was running a Vera lite, I just got so fed up of the desperately slow interface, it would take 2 mins just to save a change.

With the Vera lite I even bought a spare and tested a simple DR exercise restoring a backup onto the spare one - it all worked perfectly, so in theory everything back up and running in 2 mins.

Now Im not suggesting we all go out and buy a spare box and Fibaro somehow allow a online backup & restore to a different box, but the thought of shipping it away to Poland and the time that takes without any control of my home is just too much (I didnt really appreciate this when I purchased, and I think I probably would have looked for a different solution).

If the box dies, personally, I would either move back to Vera lite (which I still have both) or the preferred option and something I have tried out and appears to work great, and has a fairly nice Gui is:- I have a Oracle Virtual Box of Synology's DSM running on a Windows 10 PC (used as a Server running VM, BlueIris for IP/CCTV, and IMFirewall-Internet Monitoring) - Domoticz runs on DSM, Aeon Zwave Stick plugged into PC assigned to the VM and it all works fine - this way if PC dies, I can just restore VM to a spare PC, and be up and running in quick time. Interface is quick, PC is quick, VM doesnt rely on any particular PC (I have a few spare). (The reason for the VM is its a protected environment, I can move the VM to a MAC, or a Linux box or wherever)

Come on Fibaro give us something that doesnt involve shipping it away for a USB stick problem.

[1152 33]

I think the biggest lesson learned is that nobody (including Fibaro) apparently understand how dependent we become on the system as it grows, automates and integrates more and more important functions in our homes and daily family life. In short we need a negligible probability of down time since the consequences are rising. So Fibaro should sooner and not later address  several aspects to reduce risk (probability x consequence) of a single failure. To me them most obvious issue is to make sure you have controller redundancy e.g. a second controller up and running (in parallel ready to take over) in the case one goes down. That said I strongly support a better back up/restore functionality to a new/replacement controller to easily handle the situation when (not if) your controller finally dies.

 

I believe based on experience over the years that you yourself (or Fibaro) should provide UPS-power to both your modem/router and z-wave controller(s). From personal experience I also recommend an Internet failover connection for your router and controller. (I myself ended up with at USB mobile modem as a failover connection for my ASUS RT AC68U).

[Berale24 2]

It's an excellent idea. I'd like to read Fibaro webmaster on that topic !

[nellog 0]

+1

[Guest sk8er000]

Today for the second time sice last year I've got my usb recovery broken.

I've mailed the support and got no answer.

I don't absolutely want to ship HC2+USB again an pay other 185€ to ship with dhl just to have a new USB pen it's unacceptable!

I'm very upset about that.

these are the mails I've sent to support and got no answers:

Hello,

I've got an HC2 with the latest firmware, today due to an error with a device I rebooted the hc2 (last time was about a month ago) from the web interface.

Since then when all the blue leds stop blinking and stay on everything is stuck.

I've also tried to plug off the power for a couple of minutes but with no luck.

Is there a way to get it working again?

I've a lot of scenes (more than 500) and devices (about 100) paired with my hc2 and I'm very scared to do everything from the scratch

Thank you in advance for your reply

it doesn't even boot to recovery mode, I've also tried to connect a monitor on the hc2 to see what's happening and it's stuck on the intel logo..

tried to boot without recovery usb and lan adn it's started, now I reconnected lan and usb without rebooting and tried to make a backup but the timer (that usually takes 30 seconds) is going on and on and if I refresh the page the backup timer restart from 0.

The hc2's monitor says:

[ 234.659782] FAT: utf8 is not a recommended IO charset for FAT filesystems, filesystem will be case sensitive!

if I boot again with the usb inserted same problem again.

I've already changed the usb last year and I had to send you the entire HC2 and the shipping with DHL was very expensive, can't believe that is broke again!

[jasedk 7]

Just got my HC2 back from RMA at Fibaro in Poland.

 

Before I shipped the HC2 to Fibaro I was required to fill out an RMA form, provide a copy of the original invoice etc. On the RMA form I was prompted to note whether or not I had returned the power supply.

 

Yet, they returned the device without the power supply. Nice going Fibaro!

 

I also took great care to pack the HC2 device properly to avoid damage. Yet, the HC2 that I got back is covered with scratches and greasy fingerprints.

 

My HCL has now also died completely following the most recent firmware upgrade.

 

I just can’t believe the number of issues that I have faced with these Fibaro products. I am hugely disappointed with this company.

[fi-bar-oh 47]

 

Just got my HC2 back from RMA at Fibaro in Poland.

 

 

Before I shipped the HC2 to Fibaro I was required to fill out an RMA form, provide a copy of the original invoice etc. On the RMA form I was prompted to note whether or not I had returned the power supply.

 

 

Yet, they returned the device without the power supply. Nice going Fibaro!

 

 

I also took great care to pack the HC2 device properly to avoid damage. Yet, the HC2 that I got back is covered with scratches and greasy fingerprints.

 

 

My HCL has now also died completely following the most recent firmware upgrade.

 

 

I just can’t believe the number of issues that I have faced with these Fibaro products. I am hugely disappointed with this company.

 

 

Everybody seems to be a bit upset at present... but do not get to angry with them I notice then kick people off the forum if you express yourself with anger (as you would expect someone like you to do so now)

 

Never swear...

Never say anything bad abut Fibaro...

And never mention competitors...

 

Just hand over your cash and follow the sheep!

Please login or register to see this image.

/emoticons/default_smile.png" alt=":)" srcset="https://forum.fibaro.com/uploads/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

Hope you get a replacement for your ruined goods!

[Guest sk8er000]

The only reply I got from the support is: "your hc2 is broken, you need to send it to us"

Is the second time in a year and the problem is the USB! Why I need to pay more than 200€ only to get a new 4gb USB stick! It's unbelievable..

[fi-bar-oh 47]

The only reply I got from the support is: "your hc2 is broken, you need to send it to us"

Is the second time in a year and the problem is the USB! Why I need to pay more than 200€ only to get a new 4gb USB stick! It's unbelievable..

 

I remember talk of a cloud based backup... when it comes to fruition then i will take back my gripe with this SENSELESS procedure! Until then I am entitled like many to be slightly upset at the fact that any moment my HC2 can die and CRIPPLE my entire home!

[arcticblue 6]

+1

[robmac 173]

1) if the surface of the device is bad

 

This is the bad case...It appears to be the hardware key of the USB that is matched to the HC2 so you can not use any old USB.

 

If you search the forum there is a way to transfer settings to a new box if you have a copy of the backup folder from the old usb. Make a copy of the folder somewhere just in case. That still leaves your old HC2 useless if it is not under warranty.

 

 

2) if the files on the device are bad

 

I can see no reason why some of them can not be replaced remotely or from a local copy. Certainly the backup folder can be copied over as above.

 

 I have not worked out if there is also a matching soft key to the usb key or if some files are encrypted using the hardware key and can not be copied from another HC2. I had the problem a couple of years back and I did not spend too much time messing as the box was under warranty so I just returned it to the supplier and put my config on a new box.

 

Any post suggesting a way to copy files is generally deleted but it is your device go play. If you happened to have made a backup of the USB files it may be worth trying to copy the files back to the original key. I keep a copy just in case so I can try. Your device is bust so how much worse can you make it?

[Guest sk8er000]

Since the support doesn't collaborate with this popular issue and still want you to send everything and only with the expensive DHL for now I prefer to use my hc2 without usb and if in the future it fails I'll begin to consider other brands for the central unit of my house..

[vincent.jooris 14]

Fiabaro,

What is your feedback regarding this shared idee ?

[anonymous66 9]

@jasedk,

May I suggest (if not already done) to send the link to this topic to [email protected].

Not to send the technical proposal I've done, but the link to the topic, so they will see the proposal & see that a lot of users have the same concern

+1

[sf.lahr 0]

Fibaro not even here... They don't like good idea's.

[SpikeB 0]

Is think I have the same problem, can not do a recovery, tried it several times, I want to factory reset my HC2. after trying the HC2 would not boot, unless I removed the recovery stick, when booting is done without the stick, I can access the HC2 and then reinserting the recovery disk en rebooting the HC2 is up and running. But I want to do a factory reset. I have a Casenr. from Fibaro, but untill now no contact from Fibaro.

 

Has anybody an solution for this? 

[vincent.jooris 14]

Dear Fibaro,

I've read the answer you provided (few weeks ago) to someone who had a crash of his USB stick.

The answer was somethink like "It is not possible to do this remotely, you have to send back the box to Poland to replace the USB stick".

The persons never send back his box to Poland.

Someone else was able to make a new USB key remotely => so it is possible !

 

I do not understand why you put so mutch effort in protecting this USB key, since all your knowledge is stored in the "dauther" cart / z-wave card.

ok, it is now possible to buy a mother board and an usb key, but not the z-wave dauther card. So the protection you put on the USB stick is useless.

 

I'm a fan of Fibaro HC2 (I will keep buying Fibaro modules), you will BAN me for this post, but this is the reality.

 

Please makes your customers happy by removing this protection on this weak peace of hardware, since you still have the protection on the "dauther" card.

 

Thank you for your understanding